Some people say Valentine’s Day is too commercial and even manipulative. Single people often feel excluded. I say that celebrating love of any sort, passion of any sort, and beauty of any sort is right for everyone especially if you have a Red Velvet Cake! I am careful with my diet and always prefer whole, simple, and nutritious foods. While this Red Velvet cake dessert is decadent, rich, and full of contrasting flavours and textures, it also has ingredients that come with health benefits.
Beets are loaded with antioxidants and promote vascular health including lowering blood pressure.
Strawberries too are full of antioxidants and vitamin C.
Coffee in moderation boosts brain health and energy levels.
There are 4 major components to this cake, but everything can be created in about an hour. Then all you need is a little more time for the cake to cool before you assemble a chocolatey, strawberry-y, creamy tower of deliciousness
This recipe takes about an hour overall. The baking time is 20 mins for small cakes or muffins and 30-35 minutes for a layer cake.
f there is no buttermilk readily available, substitute soured milk by mixing a scant cup of whole or low-fat milk with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar and letting it sit for 10 minutes. Alternatively, thinning plain yogurt with a little milk – enough to make a cup – works too.
You must use raw, red beets just as you use raw carrots in carrot cake. The acids in this recipe – vinegar and lemon juice – ensure the beets keep their vivid colour. If you use cooked or canned beets, you will lose the beautiful red colour that gives its name to this cake.
2 ½ cups flour
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 ½ tsp baking powder
1 ¼ tsp salt
2 cup granulated white sugar
1/2 cup butter
¾ cup canola or olive oil
3 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup buttermilk
1 ½ cup beets, peeled and grated but NOT cooked
¼ cup strong coffee*
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp vinegar
*Substitute ½ tsp instant coffee and increase the buttermilk by ¼ cup.
Preheat the oven to 350F. Generously spray your small pans (muffin pans, mini cakes) with cooking spray. Set aside.
In a very large bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt.
In a mixing bowl, add sugar, butter and oil. Mix until creamy. Add the eggs. Continue mixing until light and creamy and sugar is dissolved.
Add the beets to a food processor and puree. Add the lemon juice, vinegar and buttermilk, blend.
Add ½ flour mix into the sugar mix, then ½ beet mix and repeat. Mix until combined.
Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans, filling each pan ¾ full. Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the centre comes out clean. Cool the cake in their pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove the cakes from the pans and let them cool completely.
Now, while the cake is baking and cooling make the following 3 components of the cake
CREAM CHEESE WHIPPED CREAM
1 250g pack cream cheese brought to room temperature to soften it
2/3 cup sugar
2 cups 35% cream
2 tsp vanilla
Combine all the cream cheese and sugar in a large bowl and whip together using a hand mixer until everything is well combined. Then add the cream and vanilla and whip on high speed the cream cheese cream lighter and fluffier and stiff peaks have formed.
SALTED CHOCOLATE GANACHE
Makes 4 cups
16 oz dark chocolate (16 squares), chopped
2 cups whipping cream, 35% fat
¼ tsp salt
Place the chocolate in a large, heatproof bowl.
In a saucepan, bring the cream to boiling. Pour it over the chocolate and let the mixture stand for 2 minutes. Stir in the salt. and stir until it is all combined and starts to get thick.
Let the mixture cool for about 5-10 minutes. You can use an ice bath*.
This step is optional - Beat with a hand mixer for 2 minutes until fluffy.
*You can make an ice bath by filling a large bowl or even the kitchen sink with ice and water and setting the bowl of chocolate and cream to rest in (or gently float on top of) the ice and water mix.
STRAWBERRY COULIS
Makes 2 cups
2 cups fresh or frozen strawberries
1/2 cup sugar
1 tbsp lemon juice
Combine all the ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Then turn the heat to low and cook the mixture for about 10 minutes. Use an immersion or regular blender and blend the strawberry mixture until it’s smooth. Then push the sauce through a sieve to remove the strawberry seeds and larger particles of fruit. Cool the coulis, then serve on top of your dessert.
TO ASSEMBLE
Place 1-2 tablespoons of the strawberry coulis on a dessert plate and place a mini cake on top of the coulis. Drizzle 1-2 tablespoons of the ganache over the top of the cake. Finish with a generous dollop cream of the cheese whipped cream.
Whoa! SO good. Bon Appetit!
